Released : September 03 2009

The dog days of summer are here, and so is a new threat to our population and greater Yellowstone region. The Jackson community recently learned that the nearby Idaho National Laboratory is one of seven Department of Energy sites being considered for the long-term storage of 17,000 tons of toxic mercury. The need for such a repository is outlined in a 2008 law signed by President Bush called the Mercury Export Ban which requires DOE to designate a facility for the "long-term management and storage of elemental mercury generated within the U.S."

The major concern Keep Yellowstone Nuclear Free has about this recent pronouncement, is that the long-term storage design and infrastructure have yet to be explained to the public. It has been the rule rather than the exception that wherever such toxic substances are stored, and however they are stored—they leak and people ARE exposed. Plutonium and other hazardous poisons have all leaked from “safe storage” at INL and now contaminate the water, soil and air.

Elemental mercury is a shiny, silver-colored metal that remains in a liquid state at room temperature. Exposure to mercury, can damage the central nervous system, endocrine system, kidneys and other organs. Mercury and its compounds are particularly toxic to babies, and women exposed to mercury while pregnant have given birth to children with serious birth defects. A section in the Mercury Export Ban Act calls mercury "highly toxic to humans, ecosystems, and wildlife".

Mercury can travel long distances and deposit in land and water -- directly affecting the water we drink and the food we eat. As described by Representative Albert Wynn (D-MD) who helped craft the legislation, mercury is a, “... trans-boundary pollutant, that knows no borders.” Mercury is harmful whether it is inhaled, ingested or absorbed through the skin.

Jacksonites would be wise to take the cue from the Idaho Governor who typically welcomes most any DOE projects to his state despite their potential hazards. In a statement released just last week, Governor “Butch” Otter said he would do “everything within his power to keep the U.S. Department of Energy from storing the nation’s highly toxic elemental mercury at the Idaho National Laboratory.” Unfortunately, his voice gives no assurance this project isn’t headed straight for the Idaho desert.

Presently, the long-term management and storage of privately owned elemental mercury is the responsibility of its owners, and government-owned elemental mercury is stored at existing facilities around the country. KYNF believes this is where the mercury should remain instead of hastily switching to a plan that would include the risks of transportation as well as consolidation at a single source, without a proven plan for storing mercury in this magnitude. It also becomes a tempting single and tempting target for terrorism.
Between now and Aug. 17, the DOE will accept public comments regarding potential concerns such as the impacts of mercury on human, animal and plant health, the environment, land use, geology and national security. The public comment period is part of the process of developing the requisite environmental impact statement on mercury storage options. There will be a public hearing on this issue at the Shilo Inn in Idaho Falls on Wednesday, August 11 at 5:30 pm.
Jackson should add its strong voice to those who are also speaking out in Idaho. INL already has more waste than it can handle, and a large portion of it has no long-term disposition plan. Adding Mercury to this already over burdened site should get everyone’s temperature rising.

The DOE has until the first of the year to pick a location for the site, and the facility must open by Jan. 1, 2013.
Idaho National Laboratory is one of seven sites the U.S. Department of Energy is considering for storing as much as 17,000 tons of mercury.
According to the terms of the Mercury Export Ban Act, signed into law in 2008 by President George W. Bush, the secretary of energy is required to name a site, or group of sites, for long-term storage of domestically produced mercury by Jan. 1, 2010. That facility must be operational by Jan. 1, 2013.

INL is named as one of the potential sites. Others under consideration are located in Colorado, Missouri, Washington, Texas, Nevada and South Carolina.

The act also prohibits exportation of mercury from the United States to foreign countries and the sale or distribution of it between government agencies.

It was once commonly used in research activities, gold and silver mining, and manufacturing of items such as thermometers, batteries and light switches.

In recent years, substitutes have taken the place of mercury in several of these applications.

Exposure to mercury can occur through inhalation and eating contaminated food, though only a small portion of ingested mercury is absorbed, according to the Illinois Department of Health and Welfare. Mercury exposure has been linked to health concerns including pulmonary and neural disorders.

The second section of the Mercury Export Ban Act calls mercury "highly toxic to humans, ecosystems, and wildlife" and says that as many as 630,000 babies born each year are vulnerable to mercury-related neurological problems.

Though some 16 million kilograms of elemental mercury in the United States is eligible for storage as soon as facilities are available, mercury is a very dense element and wouldn't take up much space, said Bruce Angle, environmental management system manager for INL.
But storage of so much mercury would not be a simple matter. First, it must be stored in a series of secure containers and, due to its weight, on a specially designed floor.

"Certainly, you would not want the stuff escaping," Angle said.
At this point, it's unclear how permanent the DOE's long-term mercury storage would be and whether a single, new facility will be built or existing facilities refurbished. Jeff Perry, an engineer in the agency's Idaho offices, said those are the kinds of questions the DOE will address in an environmental impact statement, expected this fall.
"At this point, so much of the information that we've received is preliminary," he said. "There are a lot of unanswered questions."

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